User Interface for Remotely Controlling a Digital Music Player

Abstract

Methods and systems for remotely controlling operation of a digital media player are described herein. A wristwatch or other alternatively-purposed device may incorporate a transceiver for communicating with a digital media player. A user may interact with the wristwatch using a plurality of buttons disposed about a housing of the watch, through which the user may adjust a volume level of the digital media player, navigate audio playback, power the digital media player on and off, request playback of a song previously identified by the user, and adjust settings of the wristwatch. The wristwatch and/or the digital media player may be in communication with a biological performance measurement device, and the user, via the wristwatch, may request playback of a biological performance measurement recorded by the biological performance measurement device.

1 . A device, comprising: 
 a device housing configured to be worn by a human user;    a display providing visual output of the device;    an input subsystem comprising a plurality of input buttons;    a transceiver for communicating with a digital media player based on input received from a user via the plurality of buttons;    a processor for controlling overall operation of the device based on control logic defining digital media control functions of the device, said control logic comprising: 
 upon detecting a brief press of a first button of the plurality of input buttons, sending a play/pause toggle command to the digital media player,  
 upon detecting a brief press of a second button of the plurality of input buttons, sending a command to the digital media player to skip to a next audio file,  
 upon detecting a long press of the second button, sending a command to the digital media player to fast forward a currently playing audio file,  
 upon detecting a brief press of a third button of the plurality of input buttons, sending a command to the digital media player to skip to a previous audio file,  
 upon detecting a long press of the third button, sending a command to the digital media player to rewind a currently playing audio file,  
 upon detecting a brief press of a fourth button of the plurality of input buttons, sending a command to the digital media player to increment a volume up one step,  
 upon detecting a long press of the fourth button, sending a command to the digital media player to scroll volume up while the fourth button remains in a depressed state,  
 upon detecting a brief press of a fifth button of the plurality of input buttons, sending a command to the digital media player to decrement a volume down one step, and  
 upon detecting a long press of the fifth button, sending a command to the digital media player to scroll volume down while the fifth button remains in a depressed state.  
   
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said control logic further comprises: 
 upon detecting a long press of a sixth button of the plurality of input buttons, sending a command to the digital media player to play a corresponding audio file previously identified by the user.    
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said device comprises a wristwatch, and wherein said control logic further comprises: upon detecting a brief press of a sixth button of the plurality of input buttons, displaying a current time on the display.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein said control logic further comprises fading out the displayed time after a predetermined amount of time.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said display comprises a dot matrix array of light emitting diodes (LEDs).  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said control logic further comprises a plurality of animation sequences for output on the display, each animation based on an action performed by the device.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein a first animation animates an icon from a left side of the display, and wherein a second animation animates the icon from a right side of the display, and a selection of the first and second animation is based on a location of an animation initiating button being located on a left or right side of the device.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein said housing comprises a bezel, 
 wherein said first button is centrally located within the bezel,    wherein said second button is located on a right portion of the bezel,    wherein said third button is located on a left portion of the bezel,    wherein said fourth button is located on an upper portion of the bezel, and    wherein said fifth button is located on a lower portion of the bezel.    
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein said housing comprises a bezel, and wherein said display is located above said bezel.  
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said control logic further comprises, upon detecting a brief press of a sixth button of the plurality of input buttons, sending a command to a remote device to audibly play back a measured biological performance parameter associated with the user.  
   
   
       11 . A method, comprising: 
 on a device comprising a device housing configured to be worn by a human user, a display providing visual output of the device, an input subsystem comprising a plurality of input buttons, a transceiver for communicating with a digital media player based on input received from a user via the plurality of buttons, and a processor for controlling overall operation of the device based on stored control logic, responsive to detecting a brief press of a first button of the plurality of input buttons, sending a play/pause toggle command to the digital media player;    responsive to detecting a brief press of a second button of the plurality of input buttons, sending a command to the digital media player to skip to a next audio file;    responsive to detecting a long press of the second button, sending a command to the digital media player to fast forward a currently playing audio file;    responsive to detecting a brief press of a third button of the plurality of input buttons, sending a command to the digital media player to skip to a previous audio file;    responsive to detecting a long press of the third button, sending a command to the digital media player to rewind a currently playing audio file;    responsive to detecting a brief press of a fourth button of the plurality of input buttons, sending a command to the digital media player to increment a volume up one step;    responsive to detecting a long press of the fourth button, sending a command to the digital media player to scroll volume up while the fourth button remains in a depressed state;    responsive to detecting a brief press of a fifth button of the plurality of input buttons, sending a command to the digital media player to decrement a volume down one step; and    responsive to detecting a long press of the fifth button, sending a command to the digital media player to scroll volume down while the fifth button remains in a depressed state.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising, responsive to detecting a long press of a sixth button of the plurality of input buttons, sending a command to the digital media player to play a corresponding audio file previously identified by the user.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said device comprises a wristwatch, and wherein said method further comprises, responsive to detecting a brief press of a sixth button of the plurality of input buttons, displaying a current time on the display.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising fading out the displayed time after a predetermined amount of time.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said fading comprises fading out a dot matrix array of light emitting diodes (LEDs).  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising selecting one of a plurality of animation sequences for output on the display based on an action performed by the device.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein a first animation animates an icon from a left side of the display, and wherein a second animation animates the icon from a right side of the display, and a selection of the first and second animation is based on a location of an animation initiating button being located on a left or right side of the device.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said device housing comprises a bezel, 
 wherein said first button is centrally located within the bezel,    wherein said second button is located on a right portion of the bezel,    wherein said third button is located on a left portion of the bezel,    wherein said fourth button is located on an upper portion of the bezel, and    wherein said fifth button is located on a lower portion of the bezel.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said device housing comprises a bezel, and wherein said display is located above said bezel.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising, responsive to detecting a brief press of a sixth button of the plurality of input buttons, sending a command to a remote device to audibly play back a measured biological performance parameter associated with the user.  
   
   
       21 . A watch, comprising: 
 a housing configured to substantially encircle a human wrist in a manner to secure the watch to the human wrist;    a display providing visual output of the watch;    an input subsystem comprising a plurality of input buttons;    a transceiver for communicating with a digital media player based on input received from a user via the plurality of buttons;    a processor for controlling overall operation of the watch based on control logic defining digital media control functions of the watch, said control logic comprising: 
 upon detecting a brief press of a first button of the plurality of input buttons, sending a play/pause toggle command to the digital media player,  
 upon detecting a brief press of a second button of the plurality of input buttons, sending a command to the digital media player to skip to a next audio file,  
 upon detecting a long press of the second button, sending a command to the digital media player to fast forward a currently playing audio file,  
 upon detecting a brief press of a third button of the plurality of input buttons, sending a command to the digital media player to skip to a previous audio file,  
 upon detecting a long press of the third button, sending a command to the digital media player to rewind a currently playing audio file,  
 upon detecting a brief press of a fourth button of the plurality of input buttons, sending a command to the digital media player to increment a volume up one step,  
 upon detecting a long press of the fourth button, sending a command to the digital media player to scroll volume up while the fourth button remains in a depressed state,  
 upon detecting a brief press of a fifth button of the plurality of input buttons, sending a command to the digital media player to decrement a volume down one step,  
 upon detecting a long press of the fifth button, sending a command to the digital media player to scroll volume down while the fifth button remains in a depressed state,  
 upon detecting a long press of a sixth button of the plurality of input buttons, sending a command to the digital media player to play a corresponding audio file previously identified by the user, and  
 upon detecting a brief press of a seventh button of the plurality of input buttons, displaying a current time on the display;  
   wherein said second button is proximately located near a right portion of a bezel of the watch;    wherein said third button is proximately located near a left portion of the bezel of the watch;    wherein said fourth button is proximately located near a top portion of the bezel of the watch;    wherein said fifth button is proximately located near a lower portion of the bezel of the watch;    wherein said sixth button is proximately located on a first side of the watch; and    wherein said seventh button is proximately located on an opposite side of the watch from said sixth button.